AllClear ID Enrollment Update
All current and former Essex employees who have signed up with AllClear ID due to the March 2016 breach will receive an additional year of service, for a total of two years of service.  Please note that this extended enrollment will be reflected in your account as of March 31. At that time, the expiration date of March 31, 2018, will show up for everyone in their account. In the interim, please rest assured that your AllClear ID subscription will renew on March 31, 2017, and end on March 31, 2018.
 
Have you filed your 2016 Tax return?
Tax Professionals and the IRS are recommending that you file as soon as possible especially if you anticipate a refund. Last year the IRS detected nearly 50,000 fraudulent claims before the end of February.
 
Did you know? The IRS will only contact you via USPS mail.
The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by phone or email to request personal or financial information, or to notify you of unpaid taxes.  This includes any type of electronic communication, such as text messages and social media channels. All initial communication from the IRS is by letter sent via USPS only.
 
Report suspicious online or emailed phishing scams to phishing@irs.gov. For phishing scams by phone, fax or mail, call 1-800-366-4484. Report IRS impersonation scams to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration’s IRS Impersonation Scams Reporting. 
 
How to reduce your risk
Join efforts by the IRS, states and tax industry to protect your data. Taxes. Security. Together. We all have a role to play. Here's what they suggest you do:

• Always use security software with firewall and anti-virus protections. Use strong passwords.
• Learn to recognize and avoid phishing emails, threatening calls, and texts from thieves posing as legitimate organizations such as your bank, credit card companies and even the IRS.
• Do not click on links or download attachments from unknown or suspicious emails.
• Protect your personal data. Don’t routinely carry your Social Security card, and make sure your tax records are secure.

 
Know the warning signs
Be alert to possible tax-related identity theft if you are contacted by the IRS or your tax professional/provider about:

• More than one tax return was filed using your SSN.
• You owe additional tax, refund offset or have had collection actions taken against you for a year you did not file a tax return.
• IRS records indicate you received wages or other income from an employer for whom you did not work.

 
Paying your taxes if you are a victim of identity theft
If you suspect you are a victim of identity theft, you should continue to pay your taxes and file your tax return even if you must do so by paper.
If your SSN is compromised and you know or suspect you are a victim of tax-related identity theft, the IRS recommends these steps:

• Respond immediately to any IRS notice; call the number provided.
• Complete IRS Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit, if your e-filed return rejects because of a duplicate filing under your SSN or you are instructed to do so. Use a fillable form at IRS.gov, print, then attach the form to your return and mail according to instructions.

 
Additional steps to take if you are a victim of identity theft
If you are a victim of identity theft, the Federal Trade Commission recommends these additional steps:

• File a complaint with the FTC at identitytheft.gov.
• Contact one of the three major credit bureaus to place a ‘fraud alert’ on your credit records:
  • Equifax, www.Equifax.com, 1-800-766-0008
  • Experian, www.Experian.com, 1-888-397-3742
  • TransUnion, www.TransUnion.com, 1-800-680-7289
• Contact your financial institutions, and close any financial or credit accounts opened without your permission or tampered with by identity thieves.

 
Additional IRS support resources
If you previously contacted the IRS and did not have a resolution, contact the IRS for specialized assistance at 1-800-908-4490. There are dedicated personnel available to assist you.
 
Review our Cyber Resources Buzz page
Additional information regarding AllClear ID and identity theft protection can found on our Cyber Resources page here.